Bond
by Erythrina Cristagalli
Summary: They wouldn't called each other as lover.He saw other girl. She kept her distance. There're feeling of despise and disappointment, but their bond also always there. In the end, they're just two person by each other side. Chapter 2 and epilog are up. Mainly Lelouch X C.C.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass

Bond

Chapter 1: Lelouch's PoV

"Don't fall in love with me." A pang of hurt hit him. "I wont." He ended his day with those lie. It's far more easy to love the one who loved you than made someone-you-loved love you back. But It's human nature to want to be loved by someone he/she loved, wasn't it?

* * *

In the morning, it was Shirley's smile that woke him up.

Lelouch lied on his bed, feel tired already in the beginning of fresh morning.

Because the one that woke him up wasn't her warm common smile that used to help him eased his days as a living corpse back then, days as Lelouch Lamperouge.

But, it's too late for him to regret that. For he already lost her. And he still have to move foward.

* * *

But what has been done was done. And what should be done have to be done.

So he stood still in his indifferent as she leaved him.

All he managed to do was quitely whispering his goodbye to his only Q-1. Far enough from her hearing distance.

* * *

It's her baggie white clothes which caught his attention first in the middle of meadow hill.

He stood still in his way as he saw those black strain and her green locks waved by gentle wind.

He step foward and he know that she knew his present without necessity to look his coming.

He depised her. That's true. For what she had done to Mao and other people she made contract with. For her selfish act. Because she ignored other's pain as long as that didn't affect her goal. For what she had schemed with his parent.

He wanted to eradicate her. That's true. For her being source of Geass. The source of pain and chaos, drag the world to war. The reason of why he had to killed Euphy, why the people around him suffering, furthermore, make Shirley suffer till her death.

But still, as he arrived at her side, she didn't look at him even once. She still look at the distance. As if she would gone any time, to the place he couldn't reach. And her great wish rang in his mind.

It's same as when he saw Mao was going to mutilated her alive, as when he saw her countless painfull deaths, as when he saw her tears, as when he saw his father was going to took her code—her chance to live, as when he saw her blood leak out from her ring finger.

It took out all air in his lungs. It spread frozen blood from his heart to his fingertips. All reason gone. His mind almost blank.

Instinctive, he reached out his hand, grab her arm in hasty move. Turned her to face him. Desperately, because he felt that his life depend on it.

Worried-frustated-violets meets impassive goldens. _Was she still long for that wish?_ He want her to look at him, at his concern for her, at how much he cared about her. To bound her to him, or live—whichever, because he didn't knew which one he wanted most or which one was worse—as long as she wouldn't go.

"Smile for me," he asked, no, he demanded. At least he has won over Sniezel and his Damocles, hasn't he? He have right for such demand, doesn't he?

Her slender fingers trail his forehead, down to his cheek, his jaw line, his neck out line, his shoulder, his arm, and end on his fingers. Her eyes followed her fingers. Tried to relaxed his stern pulses and nerves while she did so.

Then she lift her gaze to meets his. A ghost smile formed on her lips, but it was her sincere smile that reach her eyes. Made its gleaming gently.

At that moment, he couldn't hold a droplet of water trail his cheek from his eyes. He so didn't want to lose her that it suffocating him.

Damn her! What did she had done to him? What did he has done? He let her to be by his side till the end. Endangered her when Zero's Requime ended. But as much as he wanted to protect her, he couldn't manage to push her aside as he did to Nunnaly, Kallen, Rivalz, Milly, Nina and other precious people of his.

It's always girls who chase for his affection, his love. Shirley always be there, her smile help him countless time to eased his day.

As he longing for her common smile, remembered how much important that person's smile had been in his live and how he lost it, it's easy to believed that she's much important for him.

And everytime he recalled her last smile as she promised to love him again and again every times she born. Her broken smile as her eyes promised unbreakeable feeling, it's easy to believed that maybe he really did love her.

Back then as his lips meet Kallen's, he shocked. It'd be lie to said his heart not raced, but he keep his composure.

As Kalllen drew herself back, he finnaly could look at her wavering eyes. Then he realize how often she looked at him with those kind of eyes.

Her goodbye word that said with shaken voices make him realized , for the first time, how much she loved him. And that time he believed that he really didn't want to lose her. Her adoration, her respect, her loyalty, her passionate loving eyes for him.

But C.C. always kept her distance, or worse—pushed him away. It's always him who calling out, reach out, and ran after her. It's always him who fight (precisely scheming) for stole her from the other.

She was the worse lover possible be. But there he was, his heart crushed by the feeling he had for her.

No matter how she was, what she had, or what she did, he simple wanted her be by his side. He couldn't help that desire, even though it would hurt her or himself. And once that desire surfaced, he found it always overwhelming other feeling and all his logic.

The bond was just too strong. And as he feel C.C.'s fingers wiped his tears, he smirk. He sworn to let it be. So that there would be no one could separate them. Not even death.

—End of Chapter1—

* * *

AN/: That's it. I tried to describe how humanly is longing of love and the dark side of love while tried to graps Lelouch's character. Did it work? It didn't? Is there any OOC? Is it stereotype? Repetitive? Is it boring or dificult to read? Is my English messed up?

It's almost 2 years that I didn't use English and I wrote it while check on dictionary (where I found awesome definitions of 'care' , which reactivated my fangirl soul and make it squeal in delight, when I remember wiki said Lelouch is the first human that really care about C.C.), but still...

Anyway, chapter 2 will contain C.C.'s PoV. R&R, please?

Regard,

E. Cristagalli


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass.

Bond

Chapter 2: C.C.'s PoV

"Don't fall in love with me." Once again, she abadoned her true wish. She killed all of her emotion as she said those word. Attachement, affection, care, love. Whatever it's called, was poison for empty shell like her. And who felt that way toward her.

"I wont." That's why she felt relieved. Because it's for their own good. That's what she had learned, what she believed.

* * *

Sunshine surrounded her. Reflected by the river bed.

She opened her eyes. Her tears had been dried a long time ago. She waited any feeling to overcome her—any feeling of sadness, resentment, anger, regret, denial. And wait. And wait. And wait.

And she felt nothing. Nothing at all. Because everything in her life were lies. A sequence of a mirages with a nightmare as its final frame.

The innocent-naive-hopefull little girl she had been once had died. Both physically and mentally. She died leaving a living empty shell with bright-red scar over her left breast.

* * *

Just how many times had she been left behind? How many times had she forsaken her people, her contractors, her lovers, her haters, her enemies? Just how many of them were there already?

Love. Hate. Life. Death. Sincerity. Scheme. Thrust. Betrayal. Revenge over revenge. How many times was her heart resurrected just to be shattered and died? Just how many times, how many methodes had she tried to be human and failed? Over and over again. Hurting so many people in the process.

And her body still refused to be perished. No matter how much she wished to end her unnatural exixtence, she was still an ever young immortal witch. She will always be.

* * *

She took a breath as she stroke her cheek to Lizzy's neck, her horse. She closed her eyes, felt the scent, the warm, the slight move of Lizzy's muscles, the living things. She still felt empty inside.

Before, she would take those emptiness gratefully. Because, that way she wouldn't felt her hell. Before, she would hold on those emptiness, even if she learned that heartless, emotionless, and emptiness felt far more horrorible than any hurt, pain, and sorrow.

But, he destroyed the world—her eternal hell. And in a few days, a new world—the kinder one—would born. Hence, she should felt something, anything, not this emptiness.

She sat up on her saddle then galloped her horse across the grassland. Forced the wind's flow and scent, Lizzy's hasty moves, the bright shine of sun, and the heat from Lizzy's metabolims to abound her senses.

Emptiness still overwhelmed her, drove her crazy.

All her past memories flashed beyond her eyelides. She exposed her bare sense to her experiences.

'_Too bad, I decieved you all this time!' That mocking voice was so cold that frozen her spines. Her heart sank. Her eyes wided open by shock as the nun's hand—the hand she once knew as the trusted one—reached out greedly toward her._

_She felt her heart was ripped out by treachery as world fell apart, scattered at her feet. And she struggled, she fought back while her tears running down her cheeks, untill those tear drops became bloody rivers on her cheeks. Still tried to believe that the nun's treachery was just a cruel nightmare. _

_But in the end, she screamed in horror and agony as her mortality—her first-human-thing that she really lost—was robbed. At that time, she experienced absolute coldness and bottomless darkness for the first time. And that wasn't the last time she was betrayed by her confidante nor confidant. _

She closed her eyes.

'_Kill the wicth! Burn her alive on stake!' She let them lead her to the stake. The lesser her struggle, the faster her torture finished. But she couldn't help to scream to the top of her lung as fire ate her epidermis, licked her bared bud-sensoric nerves. And it's not ended fast, for her dermis kept regenerated again and again. She screamed and screamed for the pain seemed to last endless time. And that's not the first time nor the last time she killed atrociously._

She tightly gripped her rein.

'_I'm sorry.' She really mean every words of it as she ended their live. Their—Mao and her subordinate in Geass's Order—betrayed eyes would haunted her till another century as she could see her old self in them. But, all she did was pulled her trigger, one by one killed every pieces of remained heart she had as she killed all of them. While hold her tears, hidden her every emotion, controlled her every fibers to maintain her heartless feature. Just like every time she had to leave her dear or be leaved by her dear._

Then she felt it. Sadness, grieve, agony. A heavy weight which would drown her in the darkness and coldness of this world.

She halted Lizzy. She climbed down her back and tie her rein to the closest tree. As she strolled to the top of meadow hill, she gathered all positive thought to make herself engulfed in hope. But all she could think was him.

He did something that no one ever did to her. He made her shared her story with him despite she used to hide it from the world—even though she was half-forced to do that, after he peered in her memories. He asked, no, forced her to hang in there, in her living hell. Said so many sweet words—which could make every normal girls believe that he was in love with them—to her, only to her. But she knew better than to believe. For she knew that he was a smooth talker.

On top of that, he could be a silly boy. She's a selfish witch, a code bearer, the source of chaoses and tragedies. And she choosed him, made him walked down a solitude path—the path which she had been made walked down once—and made his beloveds suffer.

He should just let Mao took her to Australia—he could still have his Geass and he could live. He should just let Charles took her code—Charles wanted it, she wanted to get rid of it, he wanted to perish geass-source, win-win solution. But no, being a silly boy he was, he stopped them to took her from him.

Then she felt his present. She felt every step which made him closer to her. And her heart was squashed as she felt the time moved merciless toward the final stage of Zero's Requime.

No, time never had mercy to her. Never. And once again—after so much years she forgot how it felt, she burned in icy flame of hatred toward time.

But, her wish would be granted, very soon—at the end of Zero's Requime—despite in the other way. She would be stopped just existed. She would be able to move toward future as the repeated cycle of world would be cut. She would be able to live and –hopefully—death with smile on her face.

That's why she stayed by his side. That's why she hold in there and be his shield. Even if he would hated her more in its process. That's why, wasn't that?

She should be happy. Then, why she felt as if she's sliced—slowly and relentlessly—by time. She didn't know how true- happiness felt—she never knew yet. But, she's sure that it didn't feel that way.

Therefore, she grinded her teeth. Clenched her fist. Slowly took some breath. And closed her eyes. Because she still had to be the cold witch. Because he could become silly when she showed any emotion.

She opened her eyes, let them be locked at azure skies—the only unchanging thing which would accompany her eternally—one of nature things she considered as her true friends. She sought solace in it while she was wondering of when she begin to need so much time to restrain her emotion.

Then she felt a hand grab her wrist. Forced her to look at those frustated-worried-amethys orbs. She rounded her eyes in suprise.

"Smile for me!" He demanded. She didn't smile. She didn't want to. Because instead, she want to cry. She want to abadon her self restrain and just shed her tears. Because while searching for hope, all she found were dead end.

She trailed her fingers across his forehead—swept his bangs in the process—trailed down his outline figure as her eyes followed her fingers. Seeking solvent for her anxiety.

She let her fingers rested in his palms. She felt his pulses under her finger tips, inhaled his masculine scent, she drowned herself in his dominance existence. How their pulses beats in same rhythm. How their breath made a harmony.

Then she looked at his eyes. And just like that, she felt a flood of happiness. Just the thought of him—his mere existence—and it was enough for her to be engulfed in pure bliss.

A ghost smile formed on her lips. She couln't smile any wider, no, she felt awkward. But those happiness was as real as his presence in front of her. Real enough to pushed any other feeling, to shut all her logics up. It was so overwhelming that her eyes stung by unshed tear.

Then she saw single water drop trailed his smooth cheek. Her breath stopped as she realized how blind she was.

Back then, all along her live, countless time, everytime she saw to her suitor's eyes, hoped to find any love, care, or attachment, all her hope was crushed in instant by those red-irised-eyes.

Yet, there she was. She saw concern and care were intensified in those violet eyes, pierced through her soul. His concern and care were so true and raw that she's forced to admit its sincere. He gave her something that no one ever did—not the nun, not her suitor, not her contractee, nor her worshiper.

He was just a boy. An arrogant-manipulative-smooth-talker-egoist-megalomania one. With a mob of crazy fangirls who willing to chase his affection to the end of the world. With a bright-sweet-steadfast precious girlfriend who willing to forgive more than one hell to be with him. With a pure-passionate-adorable admirer who willing to get dragged and fallen to the deep abyss just to be by his side.

For God's sake, he should choose his lover among them.

Yet, there he was. Dropped one beautiful tear in front of her. Crushed by whatever feeling he had for her. Stubbornly looked at her way despite he knew that she didn't take serious his promise—and she didn't promise him but pain, sorrow, and suffering. See? That's why she kept her distance.

And she was shattered. Her heart broken, screamed. It's felt more hurt than burned alive. Yet, she could spill no tears.

It's not fair how he could find a wormhole in her dead-heart's circuit. How he could ressurected her heart. How he had control over her heart. It's so unfair that sometime she hated him, that she just wanted to ignore him or push him away—and his stupid-fancy-sweet promise to her. But she couldn't—one more point to her unfair list—as she kept come back to him. But live wasn't always fair, was it?

Even now, he's dying. Would leave her alone. Dying. Meanwhile she still couldn't die. Couldn't he see that? And all she wanted were spend more time with him. Smile with him. Even if just for one more day. Even if for one more hour. She would even take one more second gratefully.

She realized how hypocrite she was when it involved him. How she wanted to follow her logics, but ended up contradicted herself. She couldn't shook him off despite she knew how sinister is attachment could be.

'_Don't fall in love with me'?_ She could use millions name to describe their relationship, but love. Who was she tried to decieve? She never realized it when it started. But, it already had too late. For him. For her. For both of them. What she tried to prohibit? Because heart only would go to the place it wanted to be. She never had control over her heart, or anyone's heart. After Mao, she should stop trying to control over people hearts.

Both of them tried to cut their tread, countless time. A tread that sometimes felt as if would fade away. But it's always there, as real and strong as their bond.

Instingtively, she wiped his tear. Then she leaned her forehead to his cest. And they stood in that position for very long time, untill she heard his heart beats was calming down to the same rhythm as her.

"Nee, Lelouch. This nightmare of your would be ended soon. I will always remember it. So, it's alright for you to forget. That's why you should smile till the end, okay?"

She was taken back as she felt his arms embraced her body. As she felt his lips on the back of her ear, she slowly composed herself and snuggled to his body—yes, she believed he would let her snuggle to him as she trusted him enough to snuggle to him.

All of his live. Be it bad and good. All of their pain and smile. Secret cries and dreams. Passion and seren. Their heart beats. Breaths. She would take and remember it all as her own. So that he would live, always, within her. Untill her end.

She would believe in their fate's tread to bond them together. Believing that it would always led her to him in what ever circumtance, to surpass whatever condition, even death.

—The End—

* * *

AN/: The first version with so much much much changes . I hope you enjoy it. I wrote a couple of version and altern, before I decided to publish the first and last version.

I apologize that it take more than a year to publish it. I have problem with...err, many things. The biggest problem is I found too much proofs that Lelouch had never been in love—romantically, at least—with C.C. Then, hesistating on whether publish it or not. But, oh well, it IS what fanfiction was for.

These were the most rational and –hopefully—less OOC version, so I chose it out from another. Please look at the last version and tell me what you think.

I really, really am sorry for updating very late and hesistating so long. Thank you for your patient with me.

Sincerely,

E.C.


	3. Epilog

Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass, errm including some dialogues in this fic which were taken from original series and picture-drama.

Bond

Epilog: C.C.'s PoV

"_Say, Child, do you have any reason to life?"_

"_I d- don't know. But, I don't want to die."_

In the morning, sunshine penetrated her heavy eyelides.

Back then, hundred years ago, a bucket of cold water would welcome her in a new fresh day as she would plaster huge grin because she made it to a new day, a new possibility. Because she's not die yet.

"_Too bad. I decieved you all this time!"_

Abruptly, she openned her eyes. Her heart beat drummed franticly in her ears. There're no more grin, not even small smile danced on her face. She felt crushed, hollowed, tired. The hopefull-naive little-girl-she-was had gone since long time ago.

Because she already knew that world was trapped in lies and repeated conflicts. And relentlessly, people who hated her, people who was kind toward her would become faceless-nameless experiences in endless flow of time. Taking along parts of her—her smiles, her tears, her feelings, her past—as they perished into nothingness. Unstoppably, inevitably, she always be left alone. Who they were, who she was, she had forgotten the answers of those question. What she still was living for, she never get the answer of it. She didn't even know anymore if she originally was human or not. While world still was simply too gruesome and unbearable to be forgotten. Her only refuge was Ragnarok Plan—no matter how impudent it was and how she didn't like the plan—or passing her Code to a heir—a heir who had much stronger reason to live than she ever had.

-0-0-0-

_But, all her effort to keep her humanity were lost causes. Who were precious to her, who were important to her. They were like water which had been seeped out between her fingers. No matter what she did. She never was able to protect them, albeit, she dragged everyone who was touched by her live into chaoses or tragedies. _

_Therefore, she locked her true emotions, holding her secret apologizes and every tears which threated sheding. Sealed her already shattered heart._

_All she could do was moving foward. Resolving that the only logical answer to end these tragedies was ending her very own existence, she chased for uniting with Collective Consciousness despite the consequences. Included, becoming a selfish heartless witch._

_For it was her last chance to prove her live, to prove her human._

-0-0-0-

Sunshine was fallen on his silverly hair and his borard shoulders. Shaping his slender tall form. She once loved him. Truly loved him. And she realized, despite had been crushed under isolation, he was indeed her fair prince. But, that prince of her had been fallen. Her gentle lover had become obsessed in revenge.

"_No! I couldn't take your code! How could you ask me to kill you? I love you! I want to protect you at all cost! How do you expect me living while you're death?"_

"Mao..." As he turned his head and brightly smiled toward her, her chest felt thight. She looked at his glee for seeing her again. At those red evil eyes which had been as pure as spring water long years ago. She still found difficult to breath in his present. And she always though it was because she still loved him. But, even though his love was illusion. And it was growth in childish logic. It still was one kind of love.

Guilty was eating her alive. And it would be unfair if she lied about her feeling.

"...I did love you."

He was the mistake she wouldn't want to repeat. He was victim of her stupid hope that he could get over her and find a new love. Her selfish wish that he could keep his sanity despite his geass, before this heartless world, just as she had done... without _her_. Because she had loved him too much to allowed his end. And she was evidently wrong—badly wrong—while it's already too late to safe him.

"Go in advance and wait for me..." So, she steelled her bleeding heart. Gazing tenderly at his eyes, she inwardly apologized, wholeheartly, repeatly, as though in prays . "...in The Death's World." Forcing her unwilling hand to pull the trigger, she acknowledged his wish in another form.

She had been death so many times. Still, there was some part of her that seemed always remained to die with each of her precious. And that moment, it was the middle core of her human side.

-0-0-0-

"_I will make both your goal and mine come true. It's a pact. This time, I am one who proposed it to you." _

And she had put her hand out toward the pact. Repeatly ignoring her best friend's persuation to come back to Ragnarok Plan. Even though she knew that he's just a boy who was expert in deception, manipulation and smooth talking, she stayed by his side. For he had stronger desire to live than she ever had—or so she convinced herself of her reason.

"_Because I'm the older brother. The burden of immortality. I would protect Charles from it." _

When she had gazed into The Emperor's eyes at his wife's furneral—she saw rage, dissapointment, and revenge—she hadn't expected those speech from the Code-bearer. Yet, V.V. was the first code bearer who accepted the cursed power by his own will. These two sibling was really something else. They were willing to boar immortality for the most person they really care about. But, it's just another tragedy which led by lies, a selfish wish to protect, and Code. Then, the least she could do was spared the boy of such destiny, ... wasn't it?

"_People didn't lie only to create conflict. They have their own purpose."_

Now she had lived as code-bearer, shouldn't she understand very well why the nun so cruely had lied to her? Her reason shouldn't matter anymore. If she really love the nun, shouldn't she want to protect her from burden of immortalilty? Just as V.V. did for his little brother's sake. Hence, there was no reason to unite with Collective Conciousness. She suggested Charles and Marianne to stop Ragnarok Plan. But, they didn't want to hear her, then vanished. Thye left her behind. All alone again.

-0-0-0-

_She looked into her red wine, as if it hid answer for the question. "Well, were it not for him, then perhaps I wouldn't be here." She finally said._

"_But ..., thinking like that, isn't it painfull?" Cecile shown some concern. _

_There's a crack on her perfect impassive facade. "I seem can't stop it." She show a faint painfull smile. "Probably, __**because **__it was painfull that I can't stop it." _

-0-0-0-

Sun already slidded from its peak some hours ago. She still kneeled in front of the altar. Clapsed her hands under her chin. Her tears had long dried. Her eyes still locked at her 'God'.

Back then after he killed his parent, he gave her another method to end her existence. To cut the cycle of tragedies. She simply should not to go anywhere—she should stay in World of C. Because she was someone who should perish hundred years ago. Because Code was a curse which no one needed—the only man, who was capable and willing to boar it, had vanished.

She already said she wouldn't go anywhere and asked what he would do onward—sugestted them going back to outside world and leave her—just to be rewarded by his annoyed face.

_But now, he was death._ She had felt his live slipping from his body. A single string which tied them together was fading. Irrationally, she kept reaching out her mind toward his.

She knew it would be painfull. Losing him to death like that. She wouldn't be able to touch his mind anywhere at that time. Nor she would able to sense his spirit anywhere in living world. But she had sworn not to make same mistake. He wouldn't be her second-Mao.

Yet, it still was painfull. Death was still a hellish pain no mattter how many times she experienced it. No, it was worse. His death was devasting. She noted how quite her mind was felt when there's no contractor linked to it. How empty her soul was felt when he disappeared. How lonesome it was. How cold the breeze which blew through her holed heart.

She had spreaded her mind web. Desperately searched his consciousness. Pathetically refused to lost him into oblivion. But, he still vanished. She couldn't imagine something worse than it.

But, it surelly would become more painfull to let him die for other causes, wouldn't it? She would be more than eternally damned if she dettered him from his goal. Having to let him go through a hellish world all over again when he reincarnate. Having to lost him all over again without meaning. All of it just for her selfish whim—not to let him go.

So, she was willing to escort his soul to The Collective Consciousness. To let him reincarnate into a gentler world. Therefore...

_Please, please. _She tightened her clasped hand. She still was pleading the same thing all those three months. _Accept his atonement. Please accept his bargain. _Begging. Offering all of her remained being in her prays. As stained and broken soul as it was. Because that was all she had.

She was thrown into a particular memory. Of him when he leaned on her back as she played her harp yester night . When his body-warmth was seeping trough their clothes from their touching backs whole night. Of relaxing atmosphere which cocooned them. When he stood up as sun rose, then welcoming Jeremiah's escort to the execution in that destenied day. When he looked back at her eyes and she could read pain and resolution there.

She still could feel his caressing fingers on her cheek—coaxed her into his game. His lingering finger under her chin untill she nodded. Then, he went to the execution. _His_ execution.

She closed her eyelids. Reliving all of their memory. Their trivial bickerings, their arguments, their fight. How they never apologizing toward each other afterward, instead they would teasing each other as if nothing had happened. His smirk, his laughter, his reclutant thanks toward her, his low voice calling her name. His cold and trembling body in her arms when he was in deep pain.

He had lost so many things. His parents. His friends. His sisters. His brothers. His lovers. His best friend's trust. He had offered many soul and shedded much blood for his goal. Stained his own soul with sins.

She knew that they had used sinister methods. But, everytime of it, they didn't have any other choice. God surely would understand that far, wouldn't He? They already had paid more than enough for their sins, hadn't they? They wouldn't plead a luxury of salvation. They didn't had right of it.

_So, please. God, give people a gentle world. Don't let his efforts be vain._ She prayed. And prayed. Repeatly. Again and again. Even though he was just one of many forgettable frames in her life. Even though they're not even friend. Even though she shouldn't feel attachment toward him. Or maybe, maybe because of all of those reason, she couldn't lose him for nothing.

Then, she felt a thug in her mind. A soul with sparkling determination to live on. A man who had strong enough reason of live to be granted by Geass.

She leaped up on her feet. Her chest blown by some dizzying feeling. Ignoring accusing voices in her head—of how stupid and ridiculous her act was—she hastily turned around and walked down toward the door. She opened it to be faced by...

"How..?" A hint of disbelief seeped through her dead-flat voice. No one knew where she went that morning. Not even the youngest emperor of Britannia knew where she would be heading.

But, there. Zero himself stood before her. Still in his same elaborate costum. With the right height over her. With the same oval reflecting mask. Yet, he wasn't the same person inside. Not her contractor. Blood smeared on left of his mask.

Her gaze lowered on his arms. A pale unmoving body was dangling in his arms. Still as beautifull as ever. His peaceful face showed as if he was just sleeping. But she knew, it was only an empty-shell of her accomplice.

She reached out her hand. The Miracle's Worker gently handed him into her arms. The weight of his body made her sat down on floor. She bent down. Any expression was hidden under her bang. Her fingers traced his deep mortal wound. His white Emperor's robe was smeared by his own crimson blood. His briliant amethyst orbs were hidden under his eyelids. A triumphant smile engraved on his lips.

"He just told Jeremiah to bring him here when everything ended." That's it. Zero Requime had been executed perfectly. "But he and the others should be taking care every thing else."

"H-how..." Lump clogged in her throat. In another occurence, she would laugh of herself—How out of her characther?! But, it just proved how difficult his death was for her. She swallowed hard. "How about funeral ceremony?"

"Every one else—his family and friend will come here tomorow morning." She just nodded in respons.

She wondered why, among many promises he uttered to her—promises which never meant to be fulfilled, he chose to fulfil that single promise. A promise to come back with triumphant smile. Because it was the most easy promise?

"_C.C., am I Demon? Then, let's play hide and seek," he springed it on her before he went that day._

Their last game. Back then, she couldn't understand his bad humor.

"_You shall hide as best as you can. But, I'll find you without fail. After all, I'm Demon Emperor." Arogant smirk plastered on his face._

How come he could find her if he died? But again, he prooved her wrong. It clicked in her head.

It's not as simple as a game. It's his last tactic to ensured their connection. To proove that he know her better than she ever expected. To make her believe in their bond.

_How sly._ Slowly, a tender smile formed on her lips.

"Shall I help you with all furneral-preparation things?" She rose her face and offered a thankfull smile. A smile, which to some extend, caught the new Zero off guard. She never had that expressive. But even so, she smiled and shook her head.

"Just left me with some nuns and priests from local abbey. We will arrange preparation for a simple funeral as per his wish by this night." She said in low voice. Zero curtly nodded. But he didn't leave. As thought he was recluctant to leave the former emperor's body. C.C. didn't say anything as she shared his sentiment.

After the seemingly endless time, Zero nodded his head again.

"I will send them here." He said and turned arroud. He left with clenched fist and stiff stature. So much tension, so much responssibllity, so much anxiety were boar on his young lissome body. So much pain and lonelyness. He was seemed so much more fragile than he had ever been. After a couple of steps, C.C. called out to him. Because that boy was his friend, his dearest and best friend. So, she called out to him.

"The Demon and Witch is out playing hide and seek. Now The Demon has found his Witch, she has to go seek him in return. So, please come here really early tomorrow morning, for she has to go before anyone come here for his funeral. " She observed as Zero stopped in his track, but he didn't turn arround nor nodded his head.

"It will take a really long times. Maybe a couple of centuries or more. But she will definitely find him. So, please..." As she said it, he turned arround and saw concern in her face. And he saw the limp body of his best friend in her arm. Tension sipped from his body, the concern in her face was for him, not for Zero, but for Kururugi Suzaku, a bestfriend of certain Lelouch. The concern in her face was reflecting Lelouch's concern for him. But he already spilled all his shared of tears for Lelouch, he could shed no more tears nor he could trembled in sadness and lonelyness. He gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Aah. Then tell her that she must definitely find him, so they will happily playing harmless games without make horrorible mistake which hurt everyone including themselves. That will be my solace." He said then left.

So, C.C. smiled again. Because there were another reason to seek her Demon Emperor. Not only for themselves, but also for their third accomplice.

"He become as grumppy as you at our first months of contract, huh, Boy? Your bestfriend is." She swept her fingers over his hair and smiled. She could almost hear his answer and see his smirk.

"_That is just because you're so bad at joke, Witch."_

She would find him. She would make sure of it. So that when she found him, she could make sure not to running away from him again. From his feeling and from herself.

-The End-

AN/: Okay. Finally done. Huft. I'm speechless. And tired. And sleepy. And hungry. And sleepy. And started to be heard like Ryner Lute (from Denyuuden). So I'll stop here.

No, no, no. I have to say it. I appologize for super late update. And again for my messy English... I'm still trying to improve it. I hope it has improved and better than my last story.

I will try to squeeze some of my time to finish my other stories. That's included Weapon's Remedy.

Now, I will sleep before reading some journals for my research and tasks tomorrow.

See you in my next works. And please R&R if you have time. But, please have mercy and don't flame. =)

Sincerely yours.

E.C.


End file.
